I often wonder, “If I was pregnant, would I get the Swine flu vaccine?” So far, 28 women have died from H1N1. Another 100 have been sent to Intensive Care Units. Not many when compared to the population of the U.S., and the number of women who are pregnant at any given time, but even one death is too many. I wouldn’t want to put myself, or anyone I love in danger of getting a deadly virus that could have been prevented.

Pregnant women, and thousands of others in high risk groups, are waiting in long lines around the country to get the H1N1 vaccine, only to find supplies have run out. In Des Moines, Iowa, there’s now a waiting list for pregnant women so they bypass the lines, and get their shots faster. CDC officials say egg-based vaccine production has been slower than expected, so with demand up, many clinics and health departments are simply running out of supplies.

Health officials continue to warn expectant mothers of the risks of not getting the vaccine, but there are still some women who are skeptical. Many have heard about Thimerosol. It’s a component of some vaccines that contains mercury, blamed by vaccine opponents for causing Autism in children. That’s a claim health professionals say has not been proven through research. In any case, mercury-free seasonal flu vaccine is out there, and CDC officials say it will be available in limited supply for H1N1 Shots, too.

I have a good friend who is six months pregnant, and married to a doctor. Her husband advised her a few weeks ago, to head to her mom’s house in the mountains for a while. A sort of self-inflicted quarantine which she hoped would keep herself and her toddler from becoming infected until vaccines arrived. Now that the shots are here, doctors are being advised to counsel their patients about the potential dangers of foregoing the vaccine. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a statement last week urging doctors to talk with pregnant women about the risks not just to themselves, but for unborn children as well. Still, one in four women says they don’t plan on getting vaccinated despite warnings from health officials. Pregnant women are naturally at higher risk of catching all sorts of illnesses due to changes in their immune systems. The risks are higher later in pregnancy as the fetus pushes against the lungs making it more difficult to breathe. Several doctors have told me that deep breaths are necessary to fight off lung infections. So, my answer to the question I posed earlier? Would I get vaccinated? Yes. I will get vaccinated, as soon as H1N1 vaccine supplies are opened up to those of us lucky enough not to be in a high risk group.

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